Cool

Today's high temperature was:  73 degrees

Today's humidity was:  39%

Partly sunny and nice

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Neatest thing happened today.  A month ago I posted that on my way out to The Farm, I had stopped in to visit with a friend of Pam's who had beautiful gardens.

Of course she is not just Pam's friend--I have also known her all her life--small town remember?  We all know each other most of our lives.

So today, I am sitting in my recliner, cats on the end sleeping, cross stitching while I watch the Detroit Tigers beat up on the Yankees and I hear a knock.  It is that girl--Becky!!

She was in the area, taking photos of the huge fields of sunflowers that a farmer plants every year.  She decided to look me up and try and get a picture of the hummingbirds nest in my tree.

She also brought along some photos that she wants to enter in the Birds and Blooms magazine's contest.  I have been encouraging her along the way--telling her she has a real "eye" for taking pictures and the way she crops and finishes them.  Her Mother died twenty years ago and she is from a family of 8 kids, so I figured she probably doesn't get a whole lot of attention and I am going to be her guru, LOL.


This is one of her recent photos--a tree frog in the cup of one of her lilies.

We had a great chat and then she went out trying to get pictures of the Momma hummer in the nest.  I don't think the Momma was in there.  I think Momma has a baby and they are off learning to fly and to drink from the many humming bird feeders in the neighborhood.  She take a lot of photos though, so maybe they will reveal something.

She apologized for just dropping in, "I was afraid I might be keeping you from something,"  Yeah--like I have all that much to do?  I thanked her for stopping in and making my otherwise boring day into a lovely day and told her to please come by again--anytime!!

I felt badly thought, just moments after she left I took these pix:

She would have taken much better pictures with her neat camera!!
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I don't know if I told you, but along with my vintage wooden box collection and my cobalt blue bottle collection, I also collect carved wooden figures.

These were on our Thanksgiving table when I was little

Then Mother gave them to me and they were always on

our Thanksgiving, and now...if I go to one of the kids

houses, or my sister's for Thanksgiving, I take them with me and put

them on their table.

My mother bought these on a trip to Canada--Ontario and Quebec.

They are called Canadian Folk Art.  I have another coming from

E-Bay, like these.  An old woman sitting in a rocking chair.

I got the little Amish couple in Bird-In-Hand, PA when Fred and

I made the trip out there.

The two little people on the right, I purchase in

Sturbridge Village, MA, when I went out for Jen's wedding.

...and this little guy is from Germany.

I love how he has his right hand, through his suspenders and

stuck in the top of his pants.  I have seen my great

grandpa stand just like that.  

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I have been on another mission to find an old, wooden box large enough to hold my cross stitch and knitting projects, but not too large.  Susan has lots of trunks I could use, but they are too large for this area.

This is what it looks like by my chair---

Cross stitch project in a basket by the right side of my chair

Knitting project to the left and behind my chair

Notice the towel to keep cat and cat hair off project

So--I measured and I needed a box about 24 long, 18-20 wide and 12-14 deep.  I wanted a box with a lid so that the cats can't get in and so I could close it from view and it would just look like another old box to go with my box collection.  

Bethie gave Susan an old dough box and Susan uses it to hide her projects.  I thought that might work for me, but boy--the lids on those things are heavy, as is the box and when I went searching on E-Bay--they cost a small fortune!!

I have looked each night for the last ten days.  Last night--I think I have found just what I wanted!!!

It is 22 1/5 x 15 x 12 deep and has a hinged lid.  It is only 16.00!! Of course, the shipping is like twenty bucks, but I think it is going to work exactly for I want.  And...if it doesn't, I will put it somewhere else in the house.  I am in love with it already.  The inside is nice and smooth, so nothing to catch my knitting or cross stitch material.  AND the cats can't get in and if they claw the sides--it won't matter a bit, LOL. 

Then I can take away those baskets and that area may look neater--the operative word here is "may".  I am too lazy to keep my projects in another room where I would have to get up off my a** to get them, work on them and then put them away again. EVERYTHING I might need for the day, seems to reside within reach of my recliner!!!

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The day ended perfectly when Pearl came down to watch the "Cedar Cove" movie with me tonight.  She can't get the Hallmark Channel on her TV service.  Merle was napping in his chair, so she came here.  It was so nice to have someone to watch with and comment on and say things like, "I don't remember that from the books!"

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Tomorrow I am NOT going to church.  I have had diarrhea all day and my stomach feels pukey--and while I probably will be all right in the morning--the Youth Group is giving a talk on their mission trip to Baltimore, MD and, while that is wonderful and all--I really am not interested.  So next week--I will go back to continue with the sermons of "Detours" (detours in our life, that is.)  I am looking forward to sitting in my night shirt and watching CBS Sunday, yes, yes--I know.  I am not a very good Christian--but then--you don't have to go to church every Sunday to be a good Christian--just sayin'.

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11:00 p.m.

I just got these photos from Becky---WOW--shows what a good camera can do.

Click on the picture so you can see the spider webs holding

the nest together and lacing it to the tree limbs--amazing!!!

This is close as my camera could take the picture

Pammie--My Sweetheart!!

Today's high temperature was:  77 degrees

Today's humidity was: 39%

Another, breezy, sunny, perfect day!

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I think we are having the best summer we have had in years!!!  This gorgeous weather has been going on for two weeks and will continue--at least for the next seven days.  It is just plain perfect...and my electric bill shows it!  Last July I used 29.6 wattage hours or--whatever, and this July 10.1.  Last July we had almost two weeks of near 100 degree days and humid nights.  This July we had like 4 days of temps in the high 80's, low 90's.  So, the air conditioner hasn't run near as much as last year.  A truly windows and doors open kind of summer.  Kind of like I remember from the olden days--when NONE of even knew that air conditioning existed!!  Maybe in a movie house, but--no where else.  Not in hospitals and I know because, the day Pammie was born it was hot!  The hottest August in 43 years, which was the year when my Daddy was born.

I posted this collage on Face Book this morning, for all her friends on my "friends" list to see.

My Pammie--always happy, always smiling.  I think she

smiled when she was born and hasn't stopped since.

No matter what!

Then I drove out to her farm and visited with her.  My sister Susan came down the road to share the birthday.  I took a chocolate cake with me and the nine candles.  Plus a pair of those nice 1,600 count Egyptian sheets I got on-line.  I love them.  My sister loves them.  Pearl loves them.  I think everyone that ordered them, loves them and only $30.00 a pair and four pillowcases!!!  

Here she is at 6 weeks old.  She had such perfect skin.

I think she's even smiling in this picture.

Got her eyes closed, making a wish.

I hope she gets everything she wished for.

She deserves it soooooo much!

Then I told her to come sit on my lap.

"Momma, I will hurt your hips!"

"No you won't.  I don't care how old or how

big you are--you are never too old for Momma

to hold on her lap and love on you."

The idiot that is moving out was there and greeted me very warmly and I was nice to him, of course.  He has a home now, with a big fenced-in back yard and an empty vacant lot next door that goes with the property.  It is a two story older farm house and has a tree fort already in the back yard for his grandson.  It was a bank repo and he got it for...............are you ready?  $35,000.  Unbelievable!!!

I just wish he would get ALL his rusty vehicles and crap off her land!!!  But, at least he and his 5 pack a day cigarette smoking (dropping ashes and lit cigarettes on Pam's carpeting), and his incontinent old dog will be out of the house.  Pam was showing my sister and I the paint chips she has up on different walls of the house.  She really cannot wait to live alone!!!  

Of course, he is telling everyone it was his idea to leave.  That Pam was being a witch and he couldn't stand it anymore.  But, those people that know him and know them together--know he's lying.  Pam supported him for at least 6  years while he was trying to get disability, and loaned him money and got him a lawn mower--things like that, and had to go through bankruptcy because she lost her job and couldn't pay the creditors.

Man--I know how that is.  I went through the same thing 20 years ago--like I keep saying, she is going through a lot of what I went through, 20 years ago.  I just hope she makes it better then I did!!!!!

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So then--Susan and I left so Pammie could do her lawn mowing and I drove up to Susan's place.  I had my Daddy's old straw farm hat and the seed bag I have and I wanted to get a picture of them with an old plow and by the Centennial Farm sign.  Well--Pammie has the plow in her side lawn and Susan has the sign, so I had to take pictures at both places and they didn't turn out like I had envisioned.

Today was my Daddy's birthday too, and I wanted to post a tribute to him--a lot of the kids on my friends list played ball for him and of course, lots of people remember him.

You gotta click on them to see better.

This farm, where Susan lives, has been in the family now, 

for 156 years.  Where my son lives and I was born,

for 75 years and the grandparents farm, where

Pammie lives, 93 years.  I happen to think that is very cool!

Then I posted those two pictures on Face Book with this tribute.

The old farmer took off his hat and put down the tools of his life,

and went to lie down to rest.

and...God said, "Welcome home, my good and faithful servant.

You have been a fine steward of my land"

Happy Birthday in Heaven, Daddy.

Aug. 9, 1916 - June 18, 2008

Well--you know.  I am not entirely sure my Daddy is in Heaven--I know that is not a nice thing to say.  I imagine when he got there, God probably got out The Book and questioned him on the way he treated his daughter, but--no one in or out of the family knew of his abuse.  He was a baseball coach for many years. He was a community leader, trustee on the Township Board--many, many awards for Outstanding Service or Citizen of the Year.  So--I put it on Face Book for everyone to see--because--well, you know-----

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Balisha?  I have a question.  Do I have to bring my succulents inside over winter?  I used to have Hen's and Chicken's in my rock garden and they never died during the winter, but I am wondering about the succulents I have planted in the pots on my porch.  

See  you tomorrow--it promises to be another beautiful day!!

Terrific Thursday and...I Am Woman!!

Today's high temperature was:  74 degree

Today's humidity was: 64%

Sunny, breezy, lovely

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Do you remember seeing this picture on the news?

Well--this was me early this morning.

I was awake fairly early, 8:00, so was in my front (computer) room when the Waste Management truck came along to pick up our garbage.  They aren't exactly careful with our cans, but they do slam put them, upside down,back on the edge of the lawn.

My can has a handle on the top side and wheels underneath.  I watched as the young man on the passenger side jumped out, grabbed the can and swung it up into the back of the truck.  Then he swung it up chest high by the handle to flip it over, I assumed.  Well, the can did not flip, so he swung it head high then dropped kicked it into the drive--where it rolled, and bounced out into the middle of the street.  He then went on to my neighbor's full cans.  I jumped up to run out and yell, then remembered I was in my night shirt.  Knowing they would pass by on their way out of the park, I went in and got dressed.  Then I listened to hear when they were coming down the side street--where they would turn onto my street and I walked outside.

I knew, in order to miss my garbage can, they would have to steer off to the side, so I stood to the left of the can--in the middle of the road.  Do you know how high a garbage truck is?  YIKES

The driver slowed a bit and was going to steer around me, so I moved to the left another step and put both hands up in a "stop" position.  He stopped and I walked around to the passenger side.

I AM WOMAN!!!

The 20 something punk looked out and I said, "I would appreciate it if you didn't drop kick my plastic garbage can again...or leave it laying in the middle of the street."

He looked at his partner and said, "Did I drop kick it?"

He looked at me, I didn't..."

"Sure you did.  I watched you from that window," pointing to my front window. 

He looked at his partner again.  His partner was silent--he turned to me and I said, "You wouldn't treat your grandma's stuff like that...so from now on...pretend I am your old grandma--okay?"

"Sorry, Ma'am."

"Okay and by the way---I just wanted to tell you guys how much we all appreciate your work.  I know it's not a very glamorous job, but we appreciate you coming every week and taking our junk away."

Then I stepped back on the lawn and waved them on.  Knowing they were probably watching in the rear view side mirrors, I played the old grandma card---I bent over very slowly, picked up the can and limped and hobbled up the drive.  When I heard them turn the corner, I swung the can off the ground and walked sprightly up the drive and put it away.

I am going to get up early next Thursday and just watch to see what he does.  HEY--the NSA has nothing on me.  I see every vehicle that passes by my house.. I am the official watcher to make sure the manager is notified if the sewage pump red light comes on--I see everyone that comes by here and when I saw some kid, unknown to me, walk up to Jackie's door when she wasn't home, I walked over and asked if I could help her. She said, "I think I have the wrong house.  My little brother said to pick him up here."  I don't think so.

I am the George Zimmerman of this park--sans a gun!!!

When I got back in the house, I realized I was shaking.  I have NEVER confronted anyone like that in my life!  But--I WAS nice about it--( you catch more flies with honey than vinegar) trying to play to the young punk's feeling of how he'd want his grandma treated--just my luck, he probably hates grandma and next week will put my can in the crusher, LOL.

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Okay--the answer to the picture quiz:  I love Jean's answer, by the way.  The lady sitting in the chair is not my mother, LOL.

My 60th Birthday!  1999

Pammie on the left in the back row was, 40--Mark was 42

Jennifer on the left in the front was, 28 and Karen was, 38

Personally, I think I look better 14 years later then I did then.

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I got my two new bras and panties yesterday.  I put them on today.  Oh My--how nice.  The bra is the same style I have worn for years--Bali Flower, but one size smaller around and one cup size smaller.  The panties are also by Bali--Skimp Skamp--three sizes smaller then what I have been wearing--my others were beginning to feel like bloomers.  These size 6 fit nicely--not tight at all!!!  I is happy!!

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A blog friend, posted something on her blog this morning about glancing in the mirror and being startled at the face looking back.  Has that ever happened to any of you?  I know it has to me--for about the last 10 years.  The "face" I have in my mind is about 45-50.  I don't get startled when I directly look in the mirror, but if I am walking around and just glance off to the side and there is my "now" face, I always kind of jump.  What a shock!!!

She also spoke of how, as she ages, she finds herself attracted to young men--much too young men.  Yeah--me too.  I can't afford to be a Cougar and certainly do not have the energy for it, so there is no reason for any of you to worry that I am going to have a manic moment and "hire" some stud to make house calls, but.....

Actually, when my Pastor did Fred's funeral and then I started going to church, I was kind of attracted to him.  Minister's are ALWAYS attractive to women, especially widows--and some divorcees.  (I have dated two ministers, but let's not go there.)  Minister's are trained to be listeners--to be sympathetic.  They usually have a strong feminine side--emotionally.  They understand EVERYTHING!!!  I'd find myself sitting in church--the 4th pew from the front, and hanging onto every word--every movement.  When I found out his true age--9 months younger then my son--I was embarrassed!!!  GEEZ!!!

When I see or talk to men my own age--complete turn off!!!  They are so...I don't know...old?  Since my divorce a hundred years ago, I have never dated a man my own age.  Five-six years younger--one was eleven years younger--weird that all those young guys are now dead!  I really am attracted to men in their prime--in their sixties.  Usually their muscle tone is still good, they don't yet have the old man boobs.  They aren't prone to wearing white ankle socks with their sandals or shorts that hang down below their knees--with the ankle socks and sandals.  They have that lovely salt and pepper hair, or are bald (which I find attractive for some reason) and have not yet acquired the white hair that is usually yellow in tone.  I know a couple of guys who dye their hair--Good Grief--don't they realize it usually turns a reddish hue after a couple of weeks?  

Who is more attractive?

This guy with his hair dyed--turning red.  

This guy, two years later with his hair au natural

If I had met him when he looked like the upper picture--I probably would have never dated him again.  By the time I met him, he had that nice salt and pepper hair.

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By the way--all this talk of men in no way means I am interested in finding another one--oh no!  By this age, they are truly weird!!  Most of the time, they are a "recovering" something. Either drank too much or smoked too much in their earlier years. A lot of them have age related illness--diabetes, heart problems, COPD, bad livers and I am in NO WAY taking care of another man and have him die!  No. No.  I prefer not to go through that again!!!

A lot of them--most of them, have erectile dysfunction.  They have had their prostate removed, or they are on meds that cause it, or they smoked or drank too much and the blood supply doesn't reach that far.  They know this.  BUT--they think you are going to cure them.  My cousin (older then me) had a guy, on their third date, show up with his "inflater"--she said it looked something similar to a small vacuum cleaner.  Another one, also on the third date--because you know--nowadays, the third date is THE DATE where it is okay to have sex.  Anyway, he showed up with a little black bag that contained, not his tooth brush, not even his meds, but a vial of a clear liquid and a syringe for--penile injections.  Needless to say, she did not go through with the third date.  She said, "If I could find one that only needed to take Viagra, I'd think he was pretty sexy!"

So--not wanting to go through that stuff---YIKES--or having to go to bed and "work" the rest of the night trying to make him feel like he's sixty again--PLUS my two metal hips--I have a good excuse to not ever date again.  

(I suppose I have shocked you all with my knowledge of this subject?)

Anyway--and most important--none of them have Fred's voice, his smile, his laugh or his "smell"--so I would get half-way through a dinner date and have to excuse myself to go to the rest room and climb out the window and run...and with my hips--I don't know if that would be possible.

So-----

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There was quite a bit of activity around the hummingbird nest this morning.  I think we have a baby--I haven't seen it yet, but the Momma now comes to the nest and sits on the side, not inside.

  

He was sitting off to the side, looking at her nest.

She came out, sat for a minute then dive bombed him until he left!!

I need a sky hook so I can get up above the nest and take pictures.

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I went to the Rich People's store this afternoon--to get my weekly salads, fresh fruit and yellow, iced loaf cake.  Their cakes are the best.  Also picked up a chocolate one for Pammies birthday tomorrow.  I am going out around noon and Susan is coming down also.  I bought candles--going to put 9 on her cake. She will be 54, so 5+4=9--get it?

See  ya tomorrow--Jude

I Don't Know....just a day in the life of Moi

Today's high temperature was: 79 degree

Today's humidity was: 69%

Hard storm at 10:30 am, then sunny and breezy

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OHMYGOSH--for the first time ever, I sold something on E-Bay.  I am so nervous about it.  I had the 12 books in the Debbie Macomber "Cedar Cove" series.  I thought that perhaps, because everyone I know around here has read them and I wanted to unload them AND the series is now on as a Hallmark Channel, they might sell.  I boxed them, took a couple pictures, and put them on E-Bay.  Starting bid at $10:00.

For some unknown reason, three people got in a bidding war and I ended up selling them for $43.00!!!!!  The USPS driver picked them up this morning and they are on their way to Illinois!!  I hope the person likes them.  YIKES!!!

Hey Pat---looked what was delivered today!!!  Thanks for letting me know--I love it!!!

I think it would make a great system to raise herbs in.

Since I don't cook, I don't use herbs.  Even if I did cook, I still wouldn't use herbs, LOL.  I am thinking succulents.  Hens and chickens in top, then others in each chamber.  The neat thing, if you water it from the top, the over fill goes into the next layer and then the next.  Cool Beans!!!!!

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My white bird came back today and, a baby cardinal ended up on his test flight in my Rose of Sharon bush and I watched as the parent kept bringing him food.

You need to click on the pictures to get a good view--I do not have a very good camera.

"Daddy!  How did I get here?"

"Open wide!"

"I take nap now."

"ChipChipChip.  ChipChipChip.  Hungry Daddy!"

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The neatest, dramatic thing happened today.  Maggie The Cat allowed me to brush her without biting me.  It is a true miracle.  She had terrible fur mats on her lower back.  

Pearl tried to tell me that Maggie had "lumps under her skin!  You need to take her to the vet and get her biopsied!"

I assured Pearl that they were fur mats, but she didn't believe me.

Monday night, Maggie was snoozing on the chair beside me and I reached down and petted her--very rhythmically and hypnotically.  Then, I carefully pulled up a mat and cut if off with my scissors.  She kind of roused up, but with my petting, went back to sleep and I cut off another one.  I got three of the worse ones.  

Yesterday, she was on my lap and I got the brush to brush her.  She tried to get away and I thought I was going to have to hold her head down under my knee, but she stopped fighting and I brushed FIVE brushfuls of so much fur!!  Today, she let me again.  Buddy love to be brushed, when he heard me pull out the brush he wanted up--so when Maggie finally had enough, he jumped up and I got three brushfuls out of him.  My Gosh--they need to be brushed everyday, I guess.  Of course, Maggie likes to keep moving and walks back and forth over my lap and chair--Buddy just stands there, and lets me brush him--in fact, when I am done, he wants more.:-)

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Another guessing game?

How old do you think I was in this picture?

A Boring Day--That Turned Out Nicely

Today's high temperature was:  74 degrees

Today's humidity was:   55%

Cloudy, with a nice breeze--gully washer at 6:00

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Well--apparently I am famous.  I watch the Detroit NBC station, channel 4.  I follow their weather guy on Face Book.  Every now and then he posts and asks what the weather is like at our house.  Since most people that reply, live in or around Detroit, I decided to comment today--living north and west about 60 miles from the city.  I posted at 4:00, "Half-way between Brighton and Howell, it is 74, cloudy, but with a nice breeze,"  One of my FB friends said that he used my report when he gave the weather report for the area.  "Judy, half-way between Brighton and Howell, says it is.................."  and to think---I missed it!!!

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I must have taken too much Melatonin last night, because I woke up this morning feeling really groggy and out of it.  I didn't do much--it rained off and on all day.  Then---and the reason I missed the six o'clock news is:  Karen called me and wanted to know if I wanted to go to supper with them.  

"SURE!!!"

My oldest grand daughter, Helene, is home from Phoenix.  She is in transition--moving from Arizona to Los Angeles, to start her post graduate work in college.  She is going for....I don't remember, nor do I understand, something in Biology that has to do with research.  She has no apartment as yet, so basically she is homeless, so she is home here for the month.  YAY!!!  Karen, Madeleine and Helene had been out to visit my sister on The Farm and they stopped on the way back to pick me up.

Susan had let them take their choice which quilt that our great grandmother (their great great grandmother) had made--Susan has about a dozen quilts.  She also gave Helene an old candle stick--which she thought would fit well in her suitcase.

So--they dropped Maddie off at Ballet practice and came and got me and we went into Brighton to The Wooden Spoon restaurant.  It is the same restaurant they took me too for Mother's Day.  Weird place in my opinion, but catering to the 25-45 crowd--very trendy.

Nice patio to eat supper on, unfortunately, it was pouring when we got there.

They even have a small grocery type store

They use mostly local products purchased from farmers and local bakers, etc.

The wooden spoon

The place people keep local for dinner

Starters
Charred sea scallops $15
Baby kale, oven roasted tomatoes, maque choux, shrimp red pepper aioli
Primavera flatbread $10
Grilled seasonal vegetables, black garlic pesto, three cheese blend, truffle salt
Thai steamed mussels $11
Pei mussels, Thai coconut curry broth
Market platter $14
A selection of meats and cheeses from our market

Duck lettuce wraps $13
Bibb lettuce, nauc cham, spicy peanut sauce
Heirloom tomato & Roquefort (gf) $12
Local heirloom tomatoes, Roquefort cheese, basil,
lemon infused olive oil

Salads
Black & bleu (gf) $16
Grilled flat iron over artisan lettuce, balsamic onions, roasted peppers, gorgonzola & polenta croutons tossed with balsamic vinaigrette

Asian salmon $16
Fire grilled salmon over baby spinach, toasted almonds, carrots, edamame, pickled ginger & orange segments tossed with sesame dressing & topped with crispy rice noodles

Cherry festival (gf) $14
Artisan lettuce, dried cherries and cranberries, cashews, local goat cheese & hand shredded chicken tossed with apple cider vinaigrette & topped with julienned granny smith apple

Farmer’s market (gf) $13
Boston bibb lettuce, seasonal berries, spiced walnuts, red onion, smith’s bacon & fresh mozzarella tossed with raspberry vinaigrette

Sandwiches

Served with all that & a bag of chips

Mother of blt’s $14
Thick cut smith’s peppered bacon, bibb lettuce, local tomatoes & mayo
finished with a fried egg on toasted farm bread

bahn mi $13
smoked ham, hoisin ground pork, pickled vegetables, cucumbers,
mayonnaise & herbs on a baguette

californication $11
roma tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, avocado, sun dried tomato
Vinaigrette tossed arugula on multi-grain roll

Vegan hummus wrap $11
Hummus, sweet peppers, cucumbers, hoop house tomatoes, red onion,
artisan lettuce & house vinaigrette wrapped in a flour tortilla

Entrees

Served with a choice of salad or soup of the day

Substitute classic Caesar ($1.5) or signature mushroom brie ($1)

Coffee coriander Charred sirloin $26 lobster mac & cheese, blistered local beans, charro sauce

Shellfish cioppino $25
Shrimp, calamari, clams, mussels, linguini, cioppino broth

Short rib molÉ $24
Green chili cheddar soft polenta, smoked tomato salsa, red molÉ

Duck tagine(gf) $25
Harissa seared duck breast, roasted cauliflower saffron infused rice, dried apricots, almonds

Seared striped bass (gf) $23
Daikon slaw, edamame puree, kimchi nage, asian blessing

japonica rice crusted tuna (gf) $24

red quinoa tabouleh, sunchoke puree, pea shoots, preserved lemon relish
all natural breast of chicken (gf) $20

Herbed risotto, wilted local swiss chard, natural sauce
Ravioli della roma $19

Asparagus mascarpone stuffed raviolis, roasted roma tomato basil coulis,
wilted spinach, fresh mozzarella croquette, onion jam

Signature mac & cheese $18
Grafton aged white cheddar, grilled chicken, smith’s bacon, spinach,
imported cavatappi
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I have no clue what half this stuff is!!! Of course, most is Gluten Free--ah yes.  I asked our waiter if the water was Gluten Free and he assured me it was, LOL.

I pondered on how people my age have lived this long eating gluten, red meat, fat, bacon, eggs.  Chewing lead paint off our baby crib rails and living in homes insulated with asbestos!! Well--you know how it is nowadays--you either have to have a lactose allergy, or gluten allergy or something to be trendy! 

He brought us a bowl of Crayfish Bisque--it had a few slices of roasted red pepper in it--YUCK--Karen made me taste it.  I do not like cream soups and it smelled way too fishy to me.

Then the waiter brought us some strange, ground wheat crackers with a spread of red peppers and something else, to put on them. The spread wasn't too bad, but those Gluten Free crackers? Tasteless!!!

I wanted to order the Californication Salad (just so I could say the name), but I hate avocados, so I got the Cherry Festival salad, (it sounded pretty tame),  Karen got the bahn mi (what in the heck is hoisin ground pork?)sandwich and Helene had the Mother of all BLT's-(which I would have ordered but) it comes with a fried egg on top?  The prices are ridiculous, in my opinion, but then....I didn't have to pay, so.....

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Karen, Helene and me.

Then Karen took a picture of Helen and me with our waiter

It is my grand son Stephen, Karen's 4th child :-)

Then Maddie joined us and our waiter took a picture of us

My Orthopaedic surgeon is part owner of the restaurant and Stephen has worked for him for the last two summers.  He brought us a clear, sort of Oriental Asian soup to cleanse our palates when we were finished eating.  It was the best part of the meal, in my opinion!!  

Well--I had a wonderful time and am still "high" from it and probably won't get too sleep very easily.  I get so bored and lonely and I wish these kind of spur-of-the-moment happenings would occur more often.  

I love being with my family!!!  

They just made my day!!!

Moody

Today's high temperature was:  66 degrees

Today's humidity was:   31%

Cloudy

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You guys are good!  Our pastor has been at our church for three years.  When he did Fred's funeral, I thought he was in his late sixties.  Pearl thought he was mid to late sixties.  When Dar went with me a few times, she thought he was near seventy.  When my sister visited one Sunday and I asked her, she said, 'well he's older then I am.'  So, I had to find out.  He has a Face Book page and I went searching.  His birthday is listed as September 9, 1958.  I thought it was a typo, LOL.

Then, last June, his youngest daughter graduated from high school.  

So--Pastor Lewis is nine months younger then my son!!!  He will be 55 in a few weeks.  

He looks much older the my son.  He looks older then my sister and her husband.  In person, he looks older then the picture I posted.  When I found out his true age, it gave me a different perspective of him--for some reason.  Then I found out, he lived in Saginaw, the same time I did, about two blocks from me.  He grew up Catholic, attended the Catholic Church were I took my grand children, when they came to visit.

He fell in love with a Methodist preacher's daughter and changed religion, then went to Divinity school to become a Methodist minister.  I have seen pictures of him at his last church.  He looked quite young, had a full head of dark brown hair--then six years ago, he and his wife were driving down I-75, he hit a patch of ice, the car slammed into a tree way off the road and she was killed instantly.  His daughter was only 13 at the time--he has three older sons--one was still home in high school.

He told us about it one Sunday, had the whole congregation weeping--it was part of his testimony on how he made it through that horror and still came out, his faith intact.  I suppose this is why he is such a good minister?  He is down to earth, very human, doesn't stand behind that pulpit all Sunday morning.  Must have his sermon's memorized because he walks down the aisle sometimes or stands at the foot of the altar, down on our level and talks.  Every single one of his sermon's pertains to our every day lives.  He is NOT a preacher--he is a teacher and I love that.

That little girl he is holding in his arms, is his first grand daughter, for her baptism.  She is named Patty--after his wife.
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So--I am in a mood.  I woke up at 7:30 (amazing, I know) and remembered that I had yet to take the rent check (due the 1st) up to the office.  The last day they will accept with no late charges is the 5th.  Jumped into my clothes--drove up there, and put it in the slot.  Came back home and pretended I was just waking up and went through the morning routine.

I had the business card out and was going to call the tree service (the ones who took down the humongous willow tree between my place and Tami's four summers ago--Tami--the one who really wanted it down and was going to pay half and never has?).  I had my hand on the phone and heard tree trimming noises and wood chipper noises coming from back of my place.  So I walked over and there they were.  So--the guy is going to stop in before he leaves the park and give me an estimate on trimming up my big Maple tree.
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Then I walked down to Pearl's and she was busy cleaning up her dining room--I helped her move her table into the living room and we sat and chatted a bit about Dar.

"She must really like you," said Pearl.

"Why?"

"Because she is always down to your house asking advice.  It seems like she needs you for advice."

"Well--she rarely takes it."

"I know.  But....well maybe she just needs you to reinforce her feelings---or make her feel better."

"I just don't like how she always implies...or just comes right out and says how everything she buys or has or what she does is better then me or mine...or any one's for that fact."

"She actually said that...to your face?"

"Oh yeah--many times."


Then we talked about how Dar and Tami are so alike and yet, hate each other.  They are both impolite, loud, rude and everything is always all about them.  They will ask you a question and before your explanation is given, they will jump to an entirely different subject (about them), or check their watch or cell phone while you are trying to answer their question.  We wondered if they are bi-polar or just weird!  
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I came home and decided to change the filter on the furnace.  I had purchased the filter material yesterday.  Now most of you have furnaces in  your basement or another room of your house. You probably have a filter in a frame that you just pull out and replace from time to time.  People who live in manufactured homes have a wall unit that is hidden behind a door in a closet like area.  

Mine is behind a door, next to the bathroom.  You gotta take off the front of the furnace, cut new pieces of the filter material to put in and replace it.  So--it is easy and only took me 20 minutes.

An innocent enough looking door

                   Lift this up and remove

                                                                              and there is the furnace

Lay cover on its face on the living room floor

Take off old filters and reveal this---YIKES!!!

Cut filter material in half

Vacuum door louvers

Put in new filter piece and replace metal bands to hold in place

Lift door, put down into track and snap rivets into grommets at top
Vacuum outside of furnace cover

Vacuum inside and outside of door and close

Notice how dirty wall around door is and promise to wash that down!

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Got it done and sat down and watched my Soap and at 2:00 the tree service guy walked up to my door and we went out and looked at the job and he will do it--the smaller branches and a couple of bigger limbs for $100.00.  Pretty good price, but then, in the last four years he has been paid very well for the other two jobs he did for me.  I told him there was no hurry, "sometimes before the snow flies", and that my neighbor Tami works nights and sleeps days so maybe he could come in the afternoon?  He said he probably could and may be back as early as August 20th--which would be very cool!

Then I noticed that the carpeting behind the back of the toilet looked dirty.  I just had the carpet cleaned a couple of months ago, but apparently the guy didn't have a small enough attachment to get back in there?  So I got my Resolve carpet cleaning stuff, sprayed it down and brushed it in and will vacuum it up later.  Then I noticed that the toilet, sink and vanity needed a clean up, so...................if you look around--there is always a place in your home that needs cleaning in some way!!!!!
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Buddy likes to nap back there,

so

I put the cushion there for him

I think I need to move the table over a bit--he looks

like his ears are squashed.

My Precious Boy!!!